France Suffer Huge Blow Ahead of Their Nations Championship Clash With Springboks in Paris
- France suffered a significant blow during their Nations Championship win over Fiji when Romain Ntamack left the field injured after just 34 minutes
- Head coach Fabien Galthié confirmed Ntamack will miss the remainder of the tournament, leaving France without two first-choice fly-halves
- France face world champions South Africa on Friday, 13 November, with their half-back options severely depleted
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France have been dealt a serious squad setback ahead of their Nations Championship encounter with the Springboks, after Toulouse fly-half Romain Ntamack was ruled out of the remaining competition following a shoulder injury.
Ntamack sustained the injury to his left shoulder during France's dominant 54-17 win over Fiji in Lyon on Saturday, lasting only 34 minutes before being withdrawn from the field.
Galthié Confirms Ntamack's Tournament Exit
Head coach Fabien Galthié spoke to French broadcaster TF1 after the match and left no room for optimism regarding his first-choice fly-half's availability.
"Romain went off with this injury and we won't have him for the rest of the competition," Galthié said.
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The 27-year-old will undergo further assessment to determine the full extent of the damage, though no official recovery timetable has been announced. The setback continues a frustrating injury pattern for Ntamack, who also missed the entire 2023 Rugby World Cup after suffering a serious knee injury.
France Face Selection Crisis Ahead of South Africa Fixture
The timing is deeply problematic for Galthié's side, who face world champions South Africa on Friday, 13 November. Ntamack had only recently revived his half-back partnership with scrum-half Antoine Dupont, the pair having gone 20 months without starting together for France.
His absence is compounded by the unavailability of Matthieu Jalibert, leaving Galthié without two of his most experienced options at fly-half heading into one of the tournament's most demanding fixtures.
Despite the nine tries France ran against Fiji suggesting strong collective form, the loss of their starting number ten casts a shadow over preparations for Rassie Erasmus' Springboks.
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Source: Briefly News
